Messenger&#39;s safety carrying case



lUU. DHI'EO, DHNK lliUlLUllUN AND RELATED DEV|CES.

May 15, 1923. 1,454,894

H. F. JOHNSON MESSENGER'S SAFETY CARRYING CASE Fi'led May 29. 1922 s Sheets-Sheet 1 A TTORNEY.

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May 15, 1923. 1,454,894

, H. F. JOHNSQN MESSENGERS SAFETY CARRYING CASE Filed May 29, 1922 I5 Sheets-Sheet 2 I INVENTOR.

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May l5, 1923. 1,454,894

H. F. JOHNSON MESSENGER'S SAFETY CARRYING CASE Filed May 29, 1922 3 Sheets-Sheet lUU: CHI LO, DHIH\ I'HUIILUHUW AND RELATED DEVICES.

Patented May 15, 1923.

UNITED STATES HENRY F. JOHNSON, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

MESSENGERS SAFETY CARRYING CASE.

Application filed May 29, 1922. Serial No. 564,676.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, HENRY F. JOHNSON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented new and useful Improvements in Messengers Safety Carrying Cases, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to carrying cases primarily designed for use by bank messengers, cashiers, or similar persons who carry relatively large quantities of cash or negotiable securities, and an object of the invention is to provide a carrying case designed to prevent the theft of the carrying case or its contents.

Another object of this invention is to provide a carrying case as specified which embodies a plurality of cartridge discharging mechanisms adapted to discharge cartridges through a Suitable barrel carried by the carrying case, and also to provide a gas chamher, from which gas is released by means of a novel valve mechanism through the upper portion of the carrying case so as to overcome or injure any person who forcibly takes the case from the authorized messenger or carrier and either causes him to abandon the case or be overcome by the gas or injured by the projectiles to such an extent that he may be easily captured.

A further object of the invention is to provide a spring motor for automatically operating the cartridge discharging mechanisms and the gas releasing valve, and also to provide a control mechanism for the spring motor which control mechanism is released by the authorized carrier of the case when he hands the case to a person taking it forcibly from him, and also to construct a cartridge discharging mechanism whereby a plurality of cartridges will be successively discharged.

Other objects of the invention will appear in the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the improved ca'rrying case.

Fig. 2 is a horizontal section through the carrying case taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 3 is a vertical section through the case taken on the line 33 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a vertical section through the case taken on the line 11 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary vertical section taken on the line 55 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary vertical section taken on the line 66 of Fig. 3.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, the improved carrying case comprises the main body 1 which has the side 2 hingedly connected thereto as shown at 3. The side 2 has the portion 4 of the top of the case formed integrally therewith, while the portion 5 of the top is hingedly connected as shown at 6 to the body 1. The side 2 is hingedly supported to permit access to the mechanism carried by the interior of the case, while the portion 5 of the top is hingedly supported to permit access to the compartment 7 within the case wherein the valuables are to be carried or contained. The hinged portion 5 of the top of the carrying case has a relatively heavy bar 8 extending longitudinally there along and projecting into the carrying case as clearly shown in Figs. 3 and 1 of the drawings. The bar 8 rests upon a transverse extension 9 formed upon the upper end of the partition 10 which rises vertically in the case from the bottom 11 thereof. The bar 8 is provided with a plurality of longitudinally spaced cartridge receiving openings 12 which are adapted to receive cartridges 13 such as used in connection with various types of firearms such as revolvers, automatic pistols or the like. The outer upper end of the openings 12 are reinforced by barrels 14 which are adapted to be constructed of any suitable materlal to prevent their fracturing by the explosion of the cartridges 13 and which barrels are provided for guiding the bullets from the cartridges upwardly. It will be noted by particular reference to Fig. 3 of the drawings that a plurality of the cartridge discharging barrels 14 are placed beneath the handle 15 of the carrying case so that the bullets discharged by the cartridges through these barrels will have a tendency to strike the hand or arm of the carrier for causing him to drop the carrying case or for injuring him.

Firing pins 16 are carried by the extension 9 and they are held in their downward positions by means of springs 17 which urge them away from the cartridges 13. The firing pins have heads 18 on their inner ends which are adapted to be struck by the heads 19 on the upper ends of the discharging pins or strikers 20. A discharge pin or striker 20 is provided for each of the firing pins 16 and they are slidably supported by the supporting enlargement structure 22 formed upon the partition 10. The strikers 20 are urged into striking position by springs 23 and these springs are held under tension, by the engagement of the spring actuated retainers 24 with the shoulders 25 formed on the strikers. The retainers or pawls 24 which engage the shoulders 25 are carried by rods 26 which extend transversely t0 the strikers and have their outer ends curved as shown at 27. Pawls 28 engage in the outer curved ends 27 of the rods 26 and these pawls are pivotally carried by release levers 29. The release levers 29 have cam projections 30 upon their lower free ends which cam projections are adapted to be engaged by the cams 31 carried by the gears 32 for rocking the release levers 29 to move the rods 26 longitudinally for moving the pawls or retainers 24 out of engagement with the shoulders 25. The movement of the pawls 24 out of engagement with the shoulders 25 will release the springs 23 from tension and their upwardly action will force the strikers 20 upwardly causing them to strike or impact against the firing pins 16 forcing these pins upwardly against the tension of the springs 17 and causing them to discharge cartridges 13.

The gears 32, one of which is provided for each of the cartridge discharging mechanism, are rotatably carried by suitable shafts 33 which are supported by supports 34. The supports 34 rise from the bottom 11 of the casing and as clearly shown in Figs. 3 and 4 of the drawings. The gears 32 mesh with the pinions 35 which are mounted upon a shaft 36. The shaft 36 extends longitudinally through the various standards 34 and into a motor containing compartment 37 being connected to the spring motor 38 by a pinion 39. It will be noted by particular reference to Fig. 3 of the drawings that the cams 31 are arranged upon. their carrying gears 32 so that the strikers 20 will be operated successively, that is the strikers of one of the firing mechanism will be operated shortly after the operation of the striker of the firing mechanism next thereto thereby providing a successive discharging of cartridges.

The operation of the spring motor 38 is controlled through a governor mechanism 40 of any approved construction which comprises the brake disc 41 against which a brake 42 operates. A lever 43 is provided for releasing the brake 42 or moving it out of engagement with the disc 41 to permit the motor 38 to operate and the lever 43 is in turn operated by the substantially rectangular projection 44 which is connected to the lever 45. The lever 45 is pivotally supported by a suitable support 46 and has a wire or string 47 connected thereto which passes through a suitable guiding portion eyelet 48 carried at the bottom of the casing. From the eyelet 48 the wire or cord 47 6X- tends upwardly through a suitable guiding eyelet 49, passing along therefrom through a third eyelet 50 and it has a ring 51 upon its free end which is mounted upon the upstanding end 52 of the release rod 53. The lower end of the release rod 53 is substantially U shaped and it has a spiral spring 54 connected thereto which normally urges the release rod downwardly. The upper end 55 of the release rod is substantially in the shap of an inverted U and it projects through the bar 8 and the extension 9, hav ing its bight portion positioned upwardly and beneath the handle 15 so that when carrying the case, the messenger or carrier may insert one of his fingers through the inverted U shaped end 55 for holding the release rod 53 upwardly against the action of the spring 54. When the messenger or carrier is accosted by a highwayman or other person who desires to obtain possession of the ase, without authority, he in releasing the case removes his finger from the upper end 55 which will release the release rod 53 allowing it to move downwardly by the action of the spring 54. During this downward movement, which will move the end 52 out of the ring 51, releasing the ring so that the action of the spring 57 which is connected to the sleeve 45 will operate this lever and release the brake 42, to permit the motor 38 to operate. The operation of the motor will in turn operate the various cartridge discharging mechanisms as previously described.

The compartment 7 has a gas containing chamber 60 formed therein which is adapted to contain any desired type of chemical gas as tear gas, mustard gas or the like and the gas discharges from the chamber 60 through a valve structure 61 of any ap proved type and through the hose or pipe 62, upwardly through the bar 8, as shown at 64 in the drawings so that the gas issuing from the carrying case will be directed towards the face of the person at that time carrying the case for overcoming him and causing him to either drop the case or be captured with comparative ease. The valve 61 has an operating arm 65 thereon which is adapted to be engaged and rocked by an arm 66 carried by the shaft 36 so that when the shaft 36 is rotated by operation of the motor 38 \UU. ofirllo, Drum FHUILUIIUH AND RELATED DEVICES.

the arm 66 will strike the arm 65 and move it downwardly in the valve 61 and permit the release of gas therefrom. A suitable filling pipe 67 is provided for permitting the filling of the compartment 60.

It is to be understood that the carrying case may be provided with the usual type of hasps 70 and lock 71 for locking the hinged side 2 and top portion 5 closed.

In use, the person filling or placing the valuables in the carrying case should look the lock 71 and retain the keys therefor, so that the carrier or messenger Would not have access to the interior of the case for disconneoting the mechanism and he should understand that in case he should remove his finger from the end 55 of the release rod that the gas and cartridge mechanisms would be released. Duplicate keys should be had by the person to Whom the valuables are being carried and he should upon receiving the case from the messenger either insert his finger or a suitable support through the loop 55 to prevent operation of the gas and cartridge discharging mechanisms.

From the foregoing description taken in connection With the accompanying drawings is will be apparent that a carrying case has been provided which will permit the relative easy apprehension of highwaymen or per sons obtaining the case Without proper authority.

It is to be understood that the spring motor 38 may be Wound by any suitable type of crank handle such as is commonly employed for Winding the motors of phonographs.

It is, of course, to be understood that the invention may be constructed in other manners and the parts associated in different relations and, therefore, I do not desire to be limited in any manner except as set forth in the claims hereunto appended.

Having thus described my invention What I claim is:

1. In a carrying case, a plurality of barrels opening out through the top of said case and adapted to contain explosive cartridges, firing means for exploding cartridges in said barrels, and means for successively operating said firing means.

2. In a carrying case, a plurality of barels opening out through the top of said gcase and adapted to contain explosive carftridges, ing means for exploding caritridges in sai ai'r elameans for successively operating said firing means, a poison gas containing compartment in said case, a valve controlling the relgasewnf g as from said chamber, and means operated by said firing means operating means for operating said valve.

3. In a carrying case, a plurality of cartridge retaining barrels opening out through the top of the case, firing pins for discharg ing cartridges in said barrels, strikers for operating said firing pins, means normally holding said strikers against striking movement, and releasing means for releasing said strikers.

4. In a carrying case, a plurality of cartridge retaining barrels opening out through the top of the case, firing pins for discharging cartridges in said barrels, strikers for operating said firing pins, means normally holding said strikers against striking move ment, a. plurality of cams for releasing said strikers, means for operating said cams, and finger engaged means for releasing said cam operating means.

5. In a carrying case, a plurality of cartridge retaining barrels opening out through the top of the case, firing pins for discharging cartridges in said barrels, strikers for operating said firing pins, means normally holding said strikers against striking movement, releasing means for releasing said strikers, means for operating said releasing means, a gas containing compartment in said case, a valve for controlling release of gas therefrom, and means operated by said releasing means operating means for operating said valve.

6. In a carrying case, a plurality of cartridge retaining barrels opening out through the top of the case, firing pins for discharging cartridges in said barrels, strikers for operating said firing pins, means normally holding said strikers against striking movement, a plurality of cams for releasing said strikers, means for operating said cams, finger engaged means for releasing said cam operating means, a gas containing compartment formed in said case, a valve controlling the release of gas therefrom, and means operated by said cam operating means for operating said valve.

7. In a carrying case, a plurality of cartridge retaining barrels opening out through the top of the case, firing pins for discharging cartidges in said barrels, strikers for operating said firing pins, means normally holding said strikers against striking movement, a plurality of cams for releasing said strikers, means for operating said cams, and finger engaged means for releasing said cam operating means, said cams arranged to successively release said strikers to permit successive discharge of the cartridges.

8. In a carrying case, a body comprising a hinged side and hinged top sections, a rel atively heavy bar formed along the free edge of the hinged section of said top, a plurality of barrels carried by said bar, a partition rising centrally in said casing, cartridge firing means carried by said partition, means normally restraining said firing means from firing operation, release means for releasing said restraining means, and' means for operating said release means.

9. In a carrying case, a body comprising a hinged side and hinged top sections, a relatively heavy bar formed along the free: edge of the hinged sect-ion of said top, a plurality of barrels carried by said bar, a partition rising centrally in said casing, cartridge firing means carried by said partition, means normally restraining said firing means from firing operation, release means for releasing said restraining means, means for operating said release means, a gas chamber formed in said casing, means normally preventing the release of gas from said chamber, and means operated by said release operating means to operate said gas re straining means to prevent escape of gas from the chamber.

10. In a carrying case, a body comprising a hinged side and hinged top sections, a relatively heavy bar formed along the free edge of the hinged section of said top, 2.

plurality of barrels carried by said bar, a partition rising centrally in said casing, cartridge firing means carried by said partition, means normally restraining said firing means from firing operation, release means for releasing said restraining means, means for operating said release means, a gas chamber formed in said casing, means normally preventing the release of gas from said chamber, means operated by said release operating means to operate said gas restraining means to prevent escape of gas from the chamber, a release rod carried by said casing and adapted to be engaged by a carriers finger to prevent operation of said release means, and means for operating said rod upon disengagement therewith by the finger of the carrier to permit operation of said release operating means.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

HENRY F. JOHNSON. 

